Former Footballer Jailed for 14 Years After Brutal Attack on Toddler Causing Life-Changing Injuries

A former Millwall footballer, Kiernan Hughes-Mason, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for brutally assaulting a two-year-old girl, leaving her with severe brain damage.

The 32-year-old was caring for the toddler in January 2020 when he inflicted injuries so severe that doctors compared the damage to those seen in high-speed road accidents or fall from several storeys.

During the sentencing at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday, the toddler’s mother broke down as she described her daughter’s current condition. The court heard how the little girl is now unable to walk, crawl, or move her lower body. She requires round-the-clock care, is fed through a tube, and suffers from epilepsy.

“She’s no longer the little girl who would dance around the living room,” her mother said. “He took her future away from her and the life she will never have.”

Hughes-Mason, from Westcliff-on-Sea in Essex, was convicted of child cruelty and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Before his arrest, he played for Millwall and later joined the social media football team Hashtag United.

The former footballer previously played for Millwall, Welling, and Hashtag United (Picture: Courtesy of Welling United FC)

He had also played for several lower-league clubs, including Leatherhead, Kettering, and Saffron Walden, and had a brief stint in New Zealand. Hughes-Mason had recently been appointed manager of Enfield Borough FC but was sacked following his arrest.

In the lead-up to the attack, Hughes-Mason had messaged friends complaining that the toddler was “getting on my nerves” and said he was “gonna hit her.” The court heard that doctors later found 17 injuries on the girl’s body, including her legs, back, face, and chest, which could have been sustained between October 2019 and January 31, 2020, the day of the assault.

His victim was left with permanent brain damage and now suffers from epilepsy (Picture: PA)

Following the brutal attack, Hughes-Mason called paramedics and falsely claimed the child’s injuries had resulted from falling onto a doll’s house. He said she was conscious but unresponsive. The toddler was taken to the hospital and placed in an induced coma for 14 days.

During sentencing, Judge Ian Graham told Hughes-Mason, “This little girl’s life has been destroyed. The injuries that she suffered were caused by vigorous shaking and by bringing her head into hard contact with a surface. She is almost completely reliant on others for all her needs. She cannot walk, crawl, or move her lower body parts.”

After the sentencing, the NSPCC children’s charity condemned the attack, calling it a “brutal and cowardly assault on a defenceless toddler.” A spokesperson for the charity said, “Tragically, the two-year-old girl subjected to this violent assault will never recover from her injuries – a young life devastated before it had barely got started. It is difficult to understand what would drive a man to inflict so much harm on someone so vulnerable.”

Essex Police Detective Sergeant Ellie Nudd also condemned Hughes-Mason, describing him as a “coward” for lying to 999 call handlers, paramedics, police officers, and hospital staff in an attempt to cover up his attack. She praised the victim’s family for their “incredible strength” and thanked the ambulance service and the Crown Prosecution Service for their efforts in bringing Hughes-Mason to justice. “Our county is safer now that Hughes-Mason is behind bars,” she added.

The NSPCC has called for a detailed review of the case to provide insight into whether anything could have been done to prevent the attack and protect vulnerable children in the future.

Sola Adeniji

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